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The Great Hunger by Johan Bojer
page 5 of 280 (01%)
Peer was a town boy, who had been put out to board with a fisherman in
the village. His mother had been no better than she should be, so people
said, but she was dead now, and the father at any rate must be a rich
gentleman, for he sent the boy a present of ten whole crowns every
Christmas, so that Peer always had money in his pocket. Naturally, then,
he was looked up to by the other boys, and took the lead in all things
as a chieftain by right.

The boat moved on past the grey rocks, the beach and the huts above it
growing blue and faint in the distance. Up among the distant hills a red
wooden farm-house on its white foundation wall stood out clear.

Here was the ness at last, and there stood the fir. Peer climbed up
and loosed the end of the line, while the others leaned over the side,
watching the cord where it vanished in the depths. What would it bring
to light when it came up?

"Row!" ordered Peer, and began hauling in.

The boat was headed straight out across the fjord, and the long line
with its trailing hooks hauled in and coiled up neatly in the bottom
of a shallow tub. Peer's heart was beating. There came a tug--the
first--and the faint shimmer of a fish deep down in the water. Pooh!
only a big cod. Peer heaved it in with a careless swing over the
gunwale. Next came a ling--a deep water fish at any rate this time. Then
a tusk, and another, and another; these would please the women, being
good eating, and perhaps make them hold their tongues when the men came
home. Now the line jerks heavily; what is coming? A grey shadow comes in
sight. "Here with the gaff!" cries Peer, and Peter throws it across to
him. "What is it, what is it?" shriek the other three. "Steady! don't
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